The organist librarian

Excellent morning at RFH as part of St Alban's organ festival. Saw Matthew Martin. Attractive work by him for trumpet and organ. Lovely Angelus by Vierne. Rheinberger violin and organ. Cochereau Bolero organ and side drum played by Marko Sever. Well done all especially Joseph Beech and James Orford. People power at Imperial War museum excellent.   S ent letter to The Tablet as Rick Jones did not know what Levit's encore was so told him to check BBC proms website. Critics!  An excellent appeal for Aid to the Church in need at the cathedral Mass. Presented Joseph with his 18th birthday card and present. Listening to prom on way home. Reckoned I would be late at the hall and not get in for the Strauss Actually the Beethoven 3 chat was first. Skype to Liz in Lourdes. Listened to prom from Hull.

To St John's school Caterham by car for first choir rehearsal. No point in being early as Stacey Hawkins does not reach the choir room until 3.35 and some time was wasted finding texts on the laptop. However we went through nearly all the music for the 21st. I was surprised that they did not know Here I am Lord or Be still and know. 2 more rehearsals to go and I enjoyed it. To Acton and quite sleepy. Wednesday watched Acts 1 and 2 of Opera North Gotterdammerung and Service of hope from Westminster Abbey including an anthem by Matthew Martin. Evensong was Gonville and Caius with Tommy.

Mosaic was cancelled so I was able to go with Liz to Pat Smith's funeral at Holy Innocents Orpington. A fitting tribute to a wonderful lady and a delicious lunch. Now watching the Commonwealth Day service from Westminster Abbey on BBC1 and spotting some faith leaders I know! Watched University challenge and art of Scandinavia.

Spoke to Ann. Eye is healing well but didn't swim again. Dreamed about Fr Peter asking about Mendelssohn Song of Praise which somebody else was playing at Addiscombe! Paul Knitter's book is fascinating and involves a serious rethink about Christ and Buddha. Listened to Southwell Minster evensong including Guy Turner and Armagh cathedral vespers featuring Parsons and Howell Coll Reg Te Deum. Also listened to Edington Priory evensong featuring Matthew Martin's Nunc Dimittis.

Our front door! After the excitement of the amazing river pageant, we travelled over to Acton on Monday morning in good time for the street party. Liz made some excellent cupcakes and we enjoyed meeting everyone. We eventually retired to the house to watch the concert which was spectacular and included Lang Lang, Rene Fleming and Alfie Boe. Tom was out with Mark and Stella but cam home to rejoin the street party. We were up quite early on the Tuesday and drove home to watch the St Paul's service and the lunch and procession of carriages. Dennis and Ann-Marie had grandstand seats for the whole day opposite the Palace! We went up to Victoria and just saw the Red Arrows in the flypast. We served at the special mass with Mozart's Kronungsmesse with orchestra and a fine homily from Archbishop Vincent. Nice to see Brian and Fr Michael Dunne. Wednesday worked on the 2 essays and eventually decided to send them in. Sorted out organ music and now have a large pile to disp...

To Westminster Abbey - I was late so was greeted by the Dean in full rigout! A splendid service with msuic by Palestrina and Child. Wesley's Ascribe unto the Lord and a stunning commission Vast ocean of light from Jonathan Dove. The hymns were the Old 100th, I heard the voice of Jesus say and O praise ye the Lord. Horrid Messiaen at the end! Saw Adrian, Terence, bass from the Nicholson singers, Dorio and Anne Walsh from interfaith group. It doesn't work as well in the Abbey. Good sermon from Lord Griffiths. I did not get to speak to John Hawes. Nearly walked into Whitehall and missed student protests - police closed it off so tube to Temple for Matthew Martin's recital of Peeters, Schumann and Francis Pott Toccata. Oliver Brett was there.

To St Michael's for a rather lacklustre performance by a British organist who has settled in Bjornholm. There were slips in Finlandia and the programme was Scandinavian. Nielsen's Commotio rather outstayed its welcome. Bus to Couldson to see Vicky and we finished October hymns and half of November. To Coulsdon South - oddly Vicky caught the same train but she was on her mobile walking ahead of me to the station! To Royal Academy to see Anish Kapoor's extraordinary scultures. I loved the mirror ones - there was one where I appeared to become a single blue line! Also a magnificent pile of silver globes in the courtyard. I feel sorry for the people who have to clean up the red wax which is now defacing these fine galleries. There is also an enormous rusting object in the middle of a gallery! I like Sir Hugh Casson's pictures in the members room much more! To St Mary le Bow for lecture by Professor Tina Beattie which will be worth reading on www.justshare.org. http://justsh...

Pretty exhausting day Tuesday. Swam 36 lengths and No I did not use the car! Only 3 staff on in the evening so unable to go to Catenian provincial council meeting. It's in Sittingbourne which is a 70 mile drive. Harry Mellor of South London circle rang and offered a lift so will take him up on that. Plus I have to take leave to go and be bored all evening so what's the point? Most of it could be done by email. Watched University professional challenge won by an impressive team from the Ministry of Justice who beat Salisbury cathedral last night and National physical laboratory this evening in the final. Watched Songs of Praise from Edinburgh with interesting material about Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Bobby and David Steel's ancestor. Fell asleep! Oxgord trip booklet now revised by Chris and looking very impressive. Have at last finished James Naughtie's "The Making of music, a journey with notes" which is a useful historical treatment with some interesting com...

I practised the organ and went through Compline with Vickie. Liz stayed at the cathedral - she was cantor at morning prayer and 5.30 Mass and she fitted in a visit to John Lewis. I watched Protestant Revolution part 1 and Songs of Praise school choirs (all 6 excellent) and Lark Rise. Listened to fine evensong from Kings' College Cambridge on radio including Rachmaninov canticles. To the cathedral for Oliver's recital - Vierne Symphony No. 3 well played and then to Westminster Abbey for Michael Martin's fine recital. Bach Prelude and Fugue in F minor, Brahms O welt ich must dass lassen and Alain Trois Danses. Met Isobel. Brought Liz home and then to Compline. I played Bach Erbarm dich and O sacred head preludes. All went well.

A quiet day and in the evening to the cathedral for the grand organ festival which was quite well attended including some leading organists. Matthew Martin the assistant director of music played very well beginning with the mighty Bach Passacaglia followed by the Byrd Fantasia in G. The Patrick Gowers Toccata was dramatic and effective. The Karg-Elert Partita in E major and Alain Intermezzo were both enjoyable and the rousing climax was Reger's Fantasie uber "Ein feste burg". A most enjoyable evening but I forgot again to take a cushion! Ann-Marie passed her Irish driving test at last and we had a chat about the wedding next year.